John j



(No Model.) N

J. J. CLARKE. DEVIGE FOR CONNECTING PORTABLE RAILWAY TRACKS. No. 287,418.

PatentedOot. 30, 1883a "i'imesae I JOHN J. CLARKE, OF PATAPO, PERU, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO A. F. "COLWELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DEVICE FOR CONNECTING PORTABLE RAILWAY-TRACKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters IPatent No. 287,418, dated Octcber 30, 1883.

Application filed December 26, 1882. (No model.)

.7 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. CLARKE, of Patapo, in Peru, have invented an Improved Device for Connecting Portable Railway Tracks, of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a top or plan view, on a reduced scale, or a section of track, showing my system of connecting. Fig. 2 is a top view, showing my device connecting the rails of two sections of track. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through Fig. 2 on the line mm. Fig. 4 is a side view of a wrench used to operate my device.

This invention relates to an improved device for counecung railroad-rails at their abu ting ends, said device allowing said rails to be readily separated from one another for removal.

The invention consists in providing the sleeper, to'which one end of each of the rails of one section of track is fastened, with cams attached to that sleeper, and so arranged that when the rails of another section are placed against those that are fastened to the sleeper the cams may be turned over the flanges of therails of the new section, and may hold them firmly on the sleeper and end to end with the rails that are fastened to said sleeper. This makes the operation of laying a portable railway consist simply in placing the rails end to end upon the sleepers, and then turning the cams over the flanges of the rails.

My invention also consists in details of construction, all as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, A represents a section of a portable railway, of which B are the rails and G the cross-ties. The rails B of each section, one on each side, are firmly fastened to the ties G by clamps and bolts (1, or in any other suitable manner to make a portable section, A. The sleeper O, at one 'end of each section A, is preferably wider than the cross-ties, and the rails B extend at one end of the section about half across the width of thissleeperC. The outer clamps, f,bywhich the rails B are fastened to the sleeper G, ex-

tend beyond the ends of the rails to the full width of the sleeper C, while the clamps a on the inner side of the rails B extend only to the ends of those rails, thus leaving a square corner, formed-by the clamps a" and f and the end of the rails B. Each clamp a" may have a tooth, a, entering a corresponding notch in the rail-flange, for holding the railfast to the sleeper. The sleeper G is provided with pivoted eccentric cams D, preferably of circular form. These cams have two or more wrenchholes, I) b, cut into or through their surface or equivalent nick or slot, and the wider part of the eccentric cam is provided with a projecting strengthening-rib, d, if desired. Each cam D is fastened to the sleeper C by a bolt.

E, passing through the sleeper from below and through a collar, F, above the sleeper. The

bolt E has a screw-thread on its upper end,

"and around the bolt E and collar F is slipped,

first, the cam D, next, a spring-washer, G, and next, an ordinary washer, H, and above the cam and these two washers the nut I is screwed down upon the bolt E, pressing the washers against the cam D, but leaving that cam free to turn, if grasped by the wrench or equivalent handle.

The letter J, Fig.4, represents a wrench which is adapted to take into theholes b b in the cam D, so that when the wrench is inserted into the cam D and its handle turned the cam D will turn with it upon the bolt E as an axis.

The practical operation of my device is as follows: Suppose the section A to be already laid, and that it is desired to lay an additional section and connect it with the section A, the rails K of another section corresponding to A are, brought end to end against the rails B of the section A by slipping the ends. of the rails K over the sleeper C until they come in con tact with the rails B, or nearly so, as shown. The cam D is fastened on the sleeper C at such a point that, when turned, its wider part gwill reach over the flange of the rail K when the end of that rail is contiguous with the end of rail B. The edge of the cam will press against the side of the rail K and force it closely against the outer clamp, f. The rail K is thus held firmly in the desired contact end to end with the rail B. The eccentric cam holds the rail K down upon the sleeper, and also presses it against clamp f. \Vhen it is desired to take the sections apart, it is only necessary to turn the cams off the flangesof the rails K, when the rails are immediately relezmed and may be removed at pleasure. rangement may be applied to fasten together all the different sections forming the'railway, however many may be used.

- I do not claim the use on a sleeper of a swinging guide for the rail, in combination.

with separate fastening-bolts, as shown in German Patent No. 11,240 of May 5, 1880.

I claim- 1. The combination of the sleeper C, bolt The same ar-' -2 asmns E, canl D, collar F, washers G H, nut I, and rails B K, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The sleeper C, carryingthe clamp f, and rail B, combined with the camD, having eccentric edge, all arranged so that said cam is adapted to lap over the flange and bear against the side of i a rail, K, which is held in .place by said cam and clamp, and which is unfastened from said sleeper by turning said cam, substantially as specified. I JOHN J. CLARKE.

Witnesses:

WM. F. FRY, E. BRi'JNING. 

